


If Wishes Were Horses

by Nary



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Childhood, Fairy Tales, Gen, Sibling Rivalry, Sisters, Wishes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-08
Updated: 2011-05-08
Packaged: 2017-10-19 03:33:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/196408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/pseuds/Nary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Old Nan used to tell stories to Arya and Sansa when they were little girls. One was about a princess who, because of her wicked uncle, became a beggar-maid. But she was so pure of heart, a good spirit in the shape of a bird granted all her wishes.</p><p>Arya always thought it was a stupid story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If Wishes Were Horses

Old Nan used to tell stories to Arya and Sansa when they were little girls. One was about a princess who, because of her wicked uncle, became a beggar-maid. But she was so pure of heart, a good spirit in the shape of a bird granted all her wishes.

Arya always thought it was a stupid story. "Why did she wish for clothes and shoes?"

"Because without a proper gown, the prince wouldn't have wanted to marry her, silly," Sansa would say.

"It's a stupid wish. She should have just wished to be a princess again, then she wouldn't need any dumb prince to marry her." Sansa would roll her eyes, but Arya would always keep talking anyway. "Or she could have wished for her wicked uncle to be dead, and then she could be queen. That's even better than being a princess. And where does a bird get a golden gown and diamond slippers, anyway?"

"It wasn't really a bird, it was a spirit. Spirits can do that sort of thing."

When Arya would appeal to their father to bolster her position, he would just laugh and say "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."

Resting her weary feet by the roadside, Arya understood now what he meant. And she understood too that girls like Sansa, who were pure of heart, were the ones whose wishes got granted, as long as all they wanted were pretty gowns and handsome princes to marry. Arya's wishes all revolved around making people dead, and she doubted that good spirits granted those sorts of wishes, even in stories.

Then she saw the mare, standing at the crest of the hill. She was grey and knock-kneed and probably older than Arya herself, but she wore no saddle or harness, and she was alone. Arya stood and walked up to her, making the little calming noises that she'd learned from Jon, and the horse let her approach, then stroke her side, and finally mount her. She gave a windy sigh and set off northwards when Arya kicked lightly with her heels.

Maybe, Arya thought, sometimes wishes did come true. She smiled to herself and sharpened her knife as she rode on.


End file.
